Now here’s #awinestory for you! Last night I was lucky enough to have a fabulous dinner — and more importantly some FABULOUS WINE — with Nesti Bajda of Don Miguel Gascon, one of the oldest wineries in Mendoza, Argentina. Now most winemakers are very nice people, yet Nesti is loaded with that extra jolt of [...]
Fabulous tasting with Marco Puyo the other day from Vina San Pedro …. we were focused on the single varietal 1865. It was a very creatively designed presentation, with small dishes served with each of the four wines presented. The idea was to showcase the single varietal as well as the terroir where it grows. [...]
Bernard Portet’s Heritance Bernard Portet “There’s still a pioneer spirit in the Napa Valley,” proclaims Bernard Portet, Owner and Winemaker for Polaris Wines. Of course, this charming French-born co-founder of Clos du Val would know – especially since he had the exalted position of Chairman of the Napa Valley Wine Auction in [...]
2010 Argento Malbec Wow, really luscious wine! Color is a garnet, and on the nose a delicous aroma of dark chocolate … oak is so subtle one isn’t sure it is even there. Lush and full palate with super ripe plum, more chocolate, and incredible balance. Though the fruit is concentrated and rich, there [...]
“Welcome,” says Antoine Blech of Opia restaurant in Manhattan, welcoming Jean-Jacques Bonnie of Bodega DiamAndes and his contingent. We are here at this fun restaurant overlooking 57th street to taste some of Jean-Jacques new releases for the American market, and I am excited by the opportunity to ask a Uco Valley producer a variety [...]
Mike DeSimone, Jeff Jenssen, Sopexa Executive Bertrand DEOUX “Cahors, Malbec!” That was the chant last night at the Bouley Test Kitchen when The World Wine Guys, Mike DeSimone & Jeff Jenssen, played the combined role of an Emcee and Educator on the subject of “Cahors, the Original Malbec.” It was a fab event, featured the [...]
Like Malbec? Few people today know the story of how this traditional Argentine grape, previously grown as a low cost bulk wine for the local market, ended up in some of the highest-priced restaurants in the world. It all started in the eighties, when Nicholas Catena (whose family had been making wine for generations) [...]
What can you say about an excellently turned out Chardonnay? I am sitting at a table in the elegant Lambs Club with Mr. Jose Antonio Galante, Chief Winemaker at Salentein Family of Wines. Mr. Galante has an extensive history as a winemaker, having started at Catena Zapata which is credited for the currant quality [...]
… so tonight I tried the 2006 Sangiovese and Malbec from de Lorimier. The varietals had nothing in common save that they are produced by the same California winery in the Alexander Valley, so other than this, there was no real "comparison." I thought they were both excellent examples of the California take on [...]
One of the highlights of attending En Primeur in Bordeaux this year for me had been the opportunity to taste the new vintage of prestigious, historic Chateau Cheval Blanc, famed for nearly two centuries for its unique terroir. It received the highest rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) status in the Classification of Saint-Émilion [...]
Behold the Malbec grape! If you love wine, here is a short quiz. Malbec is: 1. a fruity, easy drinking, well priced wine from Argentina. 2. one of the 5 allowed grape varieties allowed in a Bordeaux blend. 3. The grape grown in the Cahors, France AOC If you selected all of the above, [...]
Raise your wine glass if you think Gallo represents California wines. Now put it down – The Gallo family has long gone global, and now is focused on creating affordable, well-crafted “local wines from around the world.” I was lucky…
Ah, the Malbec grape! In Argentina, Malbec forms the basis of a rich, ripe wine with flavors of sun-warmed plum and a velvety texture. In its hometown of Cahors in southwest France, Malbec can take on hundreds of guises, from…
“What a delicious wine!” exclaims the client with real enthusiasm after his first sip of Carmenere, a popular Chilean varietal that was once mistaken for Merlot given its soft, velvety nature. Of course, the CEO started off the dinner with…
